


Debriefing

by olivestrees



Series: Paris Revisited [2]
Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Gen, Manipulative Mrs Jones, Poor Alex - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28921080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olivestrees/pseuds/olivestrees
Summary: Mrs Jones knows she shouldn’t have asked Slay G. Hammer to deliver the book for her. At least he’s come back in one piece.
Series: Paris Revisited [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121198
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	Debriefing

Mrs Jones sucks on her fourth peppermint that morning as she considers the Eurasian man opposite of her. His brows are thick and heavy over watchful eyes and an aquiline nose. 

One of their newer recruits, from Greece’s National Intelligence Service (EYP). Affectionately dubbed Slay G. Hammer from his lack of subtlety, although at least Hammer is not conspicuous in the conversational sense.

“Alex has the book?”

“He does,” Hammer affirms, in an exotic blend of a Greek and Chinese accent.

Mrs Jones waits for more details, but when none are forthcoming, she prompts, “And you saw him take it?”

The man shifts. “Well, no,” he admits. “I dropped it in his bag when he left. I’m sure he went back for it.”

Mrs Jones ruthlessly suppresses the urge to roll her eyes. It would be unprofessional. 

She crunches on the remains of her peppermint as she considers her next move. Instructing Hammer to give the book to Alex was meant to be a test of his skills. At least he’s come back in one piece.

“You’re dismissed,” she says, and Hammer inclines his head before leaving, the heavy trod of his boots echoing in her ears.

Mrs Jones lets out a weary exhale. Ever since Gregorovich died, MI6 has been searching for his safe-houses. Anything that might give them a clue regarding SCORPIA. And then Alex, predictable as he is, comes in with the force of a whirlwind and upends SCORPIA entirely. So the need to locate Gregorovich’s houses is less urgent than before, but they’ve still managed to find the almost inconspicuous flash drive in his Saint Petersburg house. The only safe-house they’ve managed to locate thus far; Mrs Jones is positive there are more. 

It has taken their best team of experts the better part of a month, working in shifts around the clock, to decrypt the flash drive. The results surprise Mrs Jones; she hadn’t expected the cold Russian assassin to have a drop of sentimentality in him. Although, given some of John’s earlier reports…

She isn’t sure what teens are into these days, but she figures a paperback book is palatable enough. Alex has given so much service to his country, to the world. At the very least, he deserves to know Gregorovich’s life-story, even if it may be no one’s business but the assassin’s own. And of course, the details of Gregorovich’s relationship with his father.

Two days later, she gets word that Alex has travelled to Paris. 

As she reviews the camera footage of Alex sitting in front of the Sacré-Cœur, she sighs. Perhaps she shouldn’t have used Alex so liberally over the last year. But how many lives has the boy saved? Is it really worth it?

She watches as Alex steps away from his bench, his expression unreadable from the grainy camera footage. 

Yes, she decides. 

If the time comes, she’ll ask him again.


End file.
